Lucknow Super Giants ( Photo Source : X / Twitter )
Match 34 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 will see Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) taking on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The two will clash at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday, April 19. The visitors have won two matches on the bounce while the hosts are on the back of two successive defeats.
CSK defeated arch-rivals Mumbai Indians (MI) by 20 runs on the strength of brilliant half-centuries from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube and a four-wicket performance from Matheesha Pathirana. The Yellow Army have shown their dominance by securing victory in four out of six matches and positioning themselves in the third spot on the points table.
On the other hand, LSG have had a slightly inconsistent run with three wins and three losses in their six matches. KL Rahul and Co. are currently in the fifth position. LSG have a good record at home, especially in defending totals, but Delhi Capitals recently broke that streak. As they strive to climb higher in the standings, can we expect some changes in their line-up from the previous match?
Here’s the probable playing XI for LSG versus CSK IPL 2024 clash:
Openers: Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c & wk)
Quinton De Kock and KL Rahul. (Source – IPL/BCCI)
The left-right opening combo has yet to produce the desired results for LSG. Quinton de Kock’s performance has been average this season and he has scored just 35 runs in the last three matches. Barring two fifty-plus scores, the southpaw has yet to make an impact and will be keen to put on a show against CSK.
Kl Rahul’s story is no different. The wicket-keeper batter is usually in the running for the Orange Cap every season, but surprisingly, he is not in the top 15 run-scorers list this time. He has been making 20s and 30s in the last few matches but has been unable to capitalize on the start. The captain needs to step up as the tournament progresses.
Also Check: IPL 2024 Most Runs – Orange Cap Updated List
Middle-order: Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran 1. (Photo Source: IPL/Twitter)
Deepak Hooda’s form is a concern for LSG’s middle order. He was brought in as a replacement for a struggling Devdutt Padikkal, but the outcome was the same. Ayush Badoni was waiting for the right opportunity to explode and he did it against Delhi when his team was in dire straits. He scored 55 runs off 35 balls to take the team to a respectable score.
Nicholas Pooran’s presence is a boon for LSG and a nightmare for the opposition. The Caribbean power-hitter has played a crucial role in most of the matches. He has amassed 223 runs from six matches at an average of 74.33 and a strike rate of 161.59.
All-rounders: Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya
Marcus Stonis. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)
Marcus Stoinis’ notable performance this season was against Gujarat Titans (GT), where he scored 58 off 43 balls. He needs to bring more consistency with the bat to be a reliable option in the middle order. The fast-bowling all-rounder can also chip in with some overs in the middle stages.
Krunal Pandya took three wickets against GT at an economy of just 2.80. He is going to play at the same venue and will look to pull off the same heroics against CSK. Meanwhile, the spin all-rounder’s form has seen a dip in the last few matches, conceding a lot of runs and going wicketless.
Bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Yash Thakur
Mayank Yadav. (Source -IPL/BCCI)
Ravi Bishnoi will lead LSG’s spin attack and he will get help from Pandya in the middle overs. The right-arm spinner bagged three wickets in the last three matches at an impressive economy. He will be key in Lucknow’s balanced surface and will have a huge responsibility against a strong batting unit.
Also Check: IPL 2024 Most Wickets – Purple Cap Updated List
Mayank Yadav, the new pace sensation in town, has missed the last few matches due to injury. However, he has been seen practising and might be ready to terrorize the CSK batters with his sheer pace. He opens the attack and aims to cause early damage to the opposition. The other two seamers in the line-up are Mohsin Khan and Yash Thakur, both of whom have performed well. Thakur recently grabbed a fifer and Mohsin took two wickets in the last match.
IPL 2024: LSG’s Probable Playing XI against CSK, Match 34
Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (c & wk), Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Yash Thakur.
Impact Substitute: Naveen-ul-Haq